Machine for cleaning cotton



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. T. TURNER.

MACHINE FOR GLEANING COTTON, 650.

No. 374,160. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

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(No Model.)

J. T. TURNER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING COTTON, &c.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

1% PH cases UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J ULIUST; TURNER, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING COTTON, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.374,160, dated November 29, 1887. Application filed January 3, 1867. Serial No. 223.186. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J ULIUs T. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Gotton, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for cleaning fiber-stock-such as oakum, hair, cotton, &c.-which loosen said stock and separate therefrom dust, leaves, seeds, and, in fact, any foreign matter.

The object of this invention is to construct a machine in which the spaces between the bars of the bed grating may be adjusted to suit the various kinds of stock to be cleaned, making the said spaces larger or smaller, according to the character of the stock, by the interposition of hook-shaped spacing devices of difierent widths between the bars upon the rods supporting the said bars, and in which the beater-arms are provided with spirallyarranged fan-blades, which will feed the stock from one end of the machine to the other, as will be more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cottoncleaner embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a plan view, the cover being removed; Fig. 3, a transverse section through the feed-spout. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the grating, showing the removable bar separating devices. Fig. 5 shows diflerent cross-sections of gratingbars; Fig. 6, detail views of the preferred form of barseparating devices; and Fig. 7 shows the preferred form of grate-bars.

The frame of the machine comprises the sides A A, the ends A A", and the supports or sills A at the lower edges of the ends, either integral with the same or separate from them. The grate, composed of bars 13, supported on wires or suitable rods, 0, and spaced apart by suitable separating-pieces, D, is held between the sides by the rods 0, which have their opposite ends secured to the frame near the upper edges of the sides. The grate-bars extend between the frame ends A A and are substantially parallel with the sides. They are made of any suitable material-wood or metalmetal being preferable, as it is more durable. The grate curves transversely to form a portion of a cylinder-surface, and the bars composing the grate may be of any suitable shape in cross-section, being, however, preferably of greater thickness than width, and preferably triangular or wedgeshapcd in cross-seet-ion, as shown at Hand 5", although they may be rectangular in cross-section, as shown at b. the bars which are triangular or wedge-shaped in crosssection having their sharpest angles facing outward, so as to allow all impurities passing through the grate to drop out freely and without clogging the spaces between the bars. The bars have transverse perforations q, to permit the passage of the rodsC, and by having the bars arranged edgewise a stronger grate is obtained and a greater number of openings between the bars is had.

The barseparating devices D consist of pieces of sheet metal bent in a staple or hook form. By this latter construction they can be readily removed from the rods 0 and replaced by others of a greater or less width, according to the space desired between the bars, without removing the grate or the bars.

The whippershaft E, journaled in the ends A A has one end extended and provided with a suitable band-pulley, which receives motion from any suitable source of power for driving said shaft. It is provided with a series of beater-arms, 6, arranged in alternating series, so that the arms of one series alternate or come opposite the space between the beater-arms of the adjacent series. Fanblades F are secured at the inner portions of the beater-arms, either directly to the said arms, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings in the case of the short fans, or to the shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, the said fan-bladesstanding at an angle to the axis of the shaft and forming spiral rows winding around the whippershaft and extending from the feed end of the same to the discharge end. The fan-blades may either consist of separate blades, each secured at the inner portion of an arm, either to the arm or to the shaft, or they may have the form of spirally-twisted plates or strips extending from the arms of one set of armsto the arms of another set.

The cover H is provided with an opening,

g, at the side opposite the feed, which opening may extend the whole length of the machine,

and is varied in size by the slide I, sliding with its ends in grooves in the end pieces of the cover and in a slot in the side of the frame of the same, so as to be moved more or less over the air-inlet J in the cover to increase or diminish the area of the airiulet J at the top of and within the cover.

In practice the whipper shaftis set in motion and the fiber-stock fed into the hopper K at one end. The whippers or boaters lighten and loosen the stock and beat out the dirt, &c., through the grate, and at the same time the spiral series of blades feed the stock toward the discharge end of the casing, where it will be thrown out through the dist-harge-aperture L by the centrifugal action of the whipper'or beater arms, the said aperture being formed in the side of the cover at thelower edge of the same, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

I claim-- 1. The combination, with the rods and the bars adjustably mounted thereon, of the hookshaped separating devices, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a cotton-cleaner, the combinatiomwith the whipper-shaft and the beater-arms, of the fan-blades, arranged as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a cotton-cleaner, the combination,with

the whipper-shaft and the beater-arms, of'the fan -blades set at an incline to the axis of the shaft, as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the whipper-shaft and the beater-arms, arranged in a series along the length of the shaft and having the arms of JULIUS T. TURN-ER.

Witnesses:

MILTON REED, DENNIS V. SULLIVAN. 

